The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1887-11-12

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PROFESSIONAL SPIES.
A Calling That Is Considered Infamous By
Thousands of Good People.
Although the changes wrought by
time and social progress have elevated
into responsibility many professions
anciently regarded as infamous, and
converted into mere baseless prejudices
objections once by no means without
foundation. some are still honestly and
wholesomely detested.
That of spy, for instance. Involving
ideas of deceit. lying and treachery.
with which it is but too often associated.
it is at best tolerated as disagreeable
necessity. No man or woman likes to
be called spy. and to be regarded as
a professional spy is to be infamous all
the world over.
The purpose of the spy is not that OF
the detective only. who is secret and
watchful, but not necessarily treacher-
Gus. A genuine spy makes it his heart
less and cruel business to win confidence
only to betray ito enjoy hospitality
as guest that he may bring down ruin
upon his host and misery upon his fam
lily. He Processes friendship to those
he is anxious to disgrace. and affection
where his only intentions are those of
cold-blooded malignity. What could be
more vile or basep
And yet spies Of the very worst type
have existed in all classes of society and
in all times. In Russia to this day there
are mon and women of the highest
rank who are not ashamed to act as
spies. secretly engaged by the chiefs Of
police, and others who do such dirty
work as amateurs merely to serve po-
litical ends. those of the government
or those of the secret assassins, called
Nihilists.
While the Bourbons were on the
French throne. and all through the
reigns of Napoleon the Great and Ma
poleon the Little. spies abounded. In
Austria they were for many years not
less abundant, and also in Italy. Nor
are these hateful pests to be found only
in their own country. They travel to
other lands in pursuit of their victims,
plotting and scheming to get them
within their craftily created tolls. Even
their employers regard them with sus-
picion, and those they most benefit are
often those who regard them with the
greatest contempt and disgust In the
reign of Louis XVIII the Due Decazes
was once attacked, as head of the Par
isian police, by a member Of the Cham
Der Of Deputies. who pointed out a
disgraceful to his department. and their
government the vile characters he EN-.
ployed as spies for detecting crimes
The Due replied, sarcastically: "Shov
me the honest men who will undertake
their duties and promise to employ
them r. The retort was crusher te
which the Deputy had no reply. To-
spies were then regarded as absolute
State necessities.
i During the last French Empire you
could not venture even in any privat,
assembly and utter safely any politica
opinion If they CHANGED to be antagon
istic to the Government, and it is salt
that this policy was but continuance
of that adopted during the latter par
of the reign of King Louis Philippe
when complete network of espionag
surrounded every social circle and hal
its representative in almost every home
J It was said that no reunion, private O
public, composed of more than
certain number of people, ever tool
place in Paris without the cognizanc
and surveillance Of the police. N.
matter. what the rank or position of tn
giver of q feast might be. he was com
manded to forward certain humble
Of tickets to the Prefecture for guest
who were sure to arrive. courteous il
manner, fashionable in dress and ar
parently highly educated and YER
agreeable men and momen of tn
highest responsibility, but spies ever.
one.-London TSd-Bits.